Engine-starter.



V. BENDIX. ENGINE STARTER. APPLlcATloN HLED ocT. 30, 1918.

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VINCENT BENDIX, OF `CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ENGINE-STARTER.

' Specification of Letters Patent.

Patentea Dee. 17, 1918.

Application filed October 30, 1916. Serial No. 128,479.

T all 'whom t may concem:

Be it known that I, VLYCENT BENDIX, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Engine-Starters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that type of engine starter exemplified in patents heretofore issued to me, for instance Patent No. 1,125,935, dated 'January 26, 1915, and Patent No. 1,172,86+t, dated February 22, 1916,

i on the screw shaft due to vibration of the automobile on which my engine starters are commonly employed, such means being arranged to prevent any possible-slight rotation of the pinion or shaft which might advance it into contact with the fiy wheel and thereby cause a clashing and a rasping sound, such means being so designed as not to interfere in any manner with the ordinary or normal operation of the drive.

In the drawings, Figure l is an elevation of a drive showing my invention incorporated therein; and Fig. 2 a sectional elevation on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of: the arrow and showing the spring in its compressed condition.

The general construction of the drive is the same as shown in my atents aforesaid and it will therefore be su cient to say that the same comprises in connection with the extended armature shaft 1 of an electric motor indicated at A a rotatable holl'ow screw shaft 2, a pinion 3 screw-threaded upon the screw shaft adapted to mesh with the teeth' 4a of the fly wheel -at 4, a coiled spring` 5 'constituting the resilient driving connection between the collar 6, secured to the armature shaft by the pin ,7, and the bolt l, which screws into the enlargement 2a of' the screw| shaft.l

The pinion 3 is shown in the drawings in its retracted or home position. When the armature shaft and consequently the screw shaft is rotated this pinion is advanced automatically in a direction longitudinally of the screw shaft and into mesh with the teeth of the fly wheel. This longitudinal movement. is stopped by the contact of the pinion against the stop nut or collar 9 which is secured to the inner end of the screw shaft and adjacent the starting motor. At this time the pinion takes up the rotary movement of the screw shaft and drives the fly wheel. v After the gas engine has started on `its own power the pinion is automatically moved to its home position shown.

The means provided for preventing possibility of rotary movement. of the pinion 3 on the screw shaft due to vibration consists of a helical spring 10 of rather light construction'and surrounding the screw shaft at the inner end thereof between the pinion 3 and the stop nut'or collar 9. This spring is anchored in a suitable manner at one end to the stop nut and projects outwardly toward the pinion, the free end of the spring being preferably a slight'distance away from the pinion when the latter is in its home position. as is shown in Fig. 1. As -stated,

this spring is anchored in a suitable manner to the stopv nut and as shown, the extreme inne-r` end of the spring is bent at an angle and inserted in the hole 9a of such nut. It will be observed that the spring being thus fastened to the stop nut is rotatable therewith and consequently with the screw shaft.

In case ofpartial rotation of the pinion or screw shaft due to vibration, such pinion will come into contact with the outer free K end of the spring which will offer sufiicient resistance to -preventany further rotation and consequent creeping of the pinion toward the fiy wheel gear.

of such slight tension that it does not inter-` This spring 1s ferewith the regular or normal Operations of the plnion. Moreover, when the pinion is in its driving position in full mesh with` the fly wheel gear thespring occupies the space represented by the width of the stopnut and surrounds such nut.

I cla-im-z 1. In a drive of the Character described,.

the combination of a rotatable member, a. drivmg member mounted thereon for rotary movement therewith and longitudinal I yrotatable member and arranged in the path of movement of t-he driving member fo' preventing accidental longitudinal movement of the' lat'ter, and stop means independent of the spring for stopping the longitudinal movement of said member.

2. In a drive of the character described, the combination of a rotatable member, a

driving member mounted thereon for rotary movement therewith and longitudinaI movement thereof, a coiled spring encircling such rotatable member and anchored atone end thereto and having its free end arranged in the, path of movement of the driving member 'for '-preventing aceidental longitudinal movement ofthe latter, and stop means independent of the' spring for stopping the longitud'zinal movement of said member. I

3. Iu a device of the Character described, the combination of a' rotat-able screWI-shaft, arpinion screw-threaded thereon for rotary movement therewith and longitudinal movement 'thereof, a coiled spring encircling such screw vshaft, and 'arranged in the path of movement of the pinion, and stop means independent of the spring for stopping the longitudinal movement of the pinion.'

4:. In a device of 'the character described, th`e combination of a rotat'able `serew sha-ft, a pinion screw-threaded thereon for rotary movement the'rewith and longitudinal movement thereof, a stop nut on the screw shaft,

and a spring encirqling the 'shaft and of greater diameter than the nut and arranged in the path of movement of the pinion.

5. In a device of the character deserbed, the combination of a rotat-able screW shaft, a pinion screwthreaded thereon for rotary movement therewith and longitudinal movement thereof, a vstop nut on the screw shaft, and a coiled spring encircling the scre-W shaftand ther nut, said spring being arranged 'in the path of movement of the pinion. I

6. In' a device of the oharacterdescribed, the combination of a rotatable screw shaft, a pinion serew-threaded thereon for rotary movement therewith and longitudinal movement thereof, a stop nut' on the screw shaft,

and a coiled spring encircling the screw shaft and the nut t'and anchored at one end to the latter, said spring being arranged in the path of movement of the pinion and adapted to be compressed thereby within the Compass of the nut 7. In a device of the character described, the comibination of a. rotatable screw shaft, a pinion scrlew-threaded thereon for rotary movement therewith and longitudinal movement thereof, a stop nut on the screW shaft, and a'coiled spring encircling the'screw sh'aft and the-nut, said spring being arranged in the path lof movement of the pinion and adapted to be compressed there- V by within the Compass of the nut.

z VIN CEN T BENDIX. 

